Given the issues discussed time and time again on this site, in addition to what I have seen from this team the past 3 weeks, there is very little chance the Dawgs win in Jax. The season is now 7 weeks old (8 with the bye week) and the problems that existed in game #1 are still present. In addition to the team’s shortcomings, mix in a ton of injuries. This coaching staff is not talented enough to overcome all of the problems the Daws have. If in fact they were, would the defense, OL and special teams not be corrected by now?

Let’s say that the Dawgs give up/leave on the table 10 to the Gators via special teams (given what we have seen this season, 10 points seems conservative). Also, the Dawgs are giving up an average of 33 point a game this season. Yes, the 33 includes special teams miscues. Do you think the offense as currently constructed is capable of scoring 34 points against a solid Gator D? Yeah, me neither. Lastly, do you have any faith or confidence based on results from this season (or any other season for that matter) that Richt, Bobo or Grantham is capable of coming up with something/anything new that may throw the Gators for a loop on either side of the ball? Yeah, me neither. And on a side note, this team had its season’s hopes and dreams crushed against Mizzou only to follow that up with a stinker in Nasville against Vandy. What do you think they will do with less than zero to play for following the debacle last weekend? Yeah, me too.

I agree that the Gators offense is bad. And you are correct that they have yet to score 33 points this season. My point is that I have seen nothing that leads me to believe the defense will hold the Gators to less than 30 points with the help of special teams (6 of Georgia’s 7 opponents have scored 30/+ points this season). Additionally, I do not see this team scoring north of 30 against one to the top 2 defenses in the conference. This staff appears either unable to fix the issues on this team, or there is a lack of talent to do so.

“I think anybody with a shred of intelligence can see the situation,” Muschamp said. “It’s a bit frustrating, but we need to coach better. … When you struggle, you need to go back to technique and fundamentals. You need to simplify to get our players to play faster and play with more confidence. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

He’s talking about Georgia, right…damn you’d think he and Mark Richt went to the same classes.

And for those of us who are supremely confident about the outcome of the game….I have heard many times, in many different years how the Gators were whooped, beat, crippled….then they get a week off and holy shit, where did THAT come from?

Yeah…but the best one, all time winner, is Vince who said Bill Stanfill was too hurt to play, (neck injury) , after the game, then Florida coach Ray Graves said: “If they get that Stanfill boy well, he’s is going to be good.” Bill had some sacks and ruined, I seem to remember, the senior season of a quarterback who would go on to coach college football. And never forgive Georgia.

I think at the beginning of the season, they were every bit your offense’s equal (again, prior to your injuries). Injuries have hurt that somewhat. Against Missouri, we were down our starting DT, and one of the nation’s best defenders, his backup, an OLB (and former #1 overall recruit), and our starting strong safety.

But, the thing I worry about the most is the defense’s mindset. Defense is about hustle, energy, and enthusiasm. It would be easy for them to hold back just a little, being frustrated with the offense. They played well for much of the game against MIssouri (held them to 13 points at the half) but the end result was not so good.

Combining the injuries and the reduced motivation means they’re not a very elite defense anymore. Hopefully I’m wrong and they haven’t written off the offense.

At the beginning of the season I thought this game would be strength against strength, i.e. Georgia’s offense against FU’s defense. Now it is weakness against weakness, i.e. Georgia’s offense against FU’s defense.

This quote from Coach Muschamp is what I’d like to hear/read from our head guy about special teams… “We need to do a better job across the board,” Muschamp said. “When you’re not producing, you can’t continue to do the same things or you’ll get the same result.”

I ain’t predicting a damn thing about this game until our guys step off the bus–hell, onto the field–in J’ville and we can see who’s in uniform, with pads, ready to play. I feel pretty good about our chances if Gurley plays, and even better if he’s joined by Conley, Bennett and Mystery Man Rumph. But we have an eternity (8 days) between now and then, with the ACC cops, injury bugs, Ol’ Lady Luck and all manner of potential player reducing events possibly lurking around the next corner. We’ve had a snakebit several weeks, and I’m not so sure the serpent has slithered back to where it belongs yet.

My concern with UF is they spend 2 weeks going to some kind of spread read O and run options and throw over the middle crossing routes.-come up with something we have not seen before. That and our dismal special teams. If we give up a TD on a return, block, or easy score due to a turnover, we lose. If they have to drive the ball downfield to score, we will hold our own. If Gurley, Bennett and Conley play, we will score.